Is it time to move on?

[spetz]

Hi guys,

I'll start with a bit of necessary background information.
In 2001 I got my license and a brand new Lancer coupe was bought for me.
In 2004 I turned 21 and did a 6A12 MIVEC conversion to the car.

At that time I felt pretty good/proud driving a new car more heavily modified than most other cars, also it was a more expensive car and more heavily modified than most people my age had.
In late 2006/early 2007 the car went through an overhaul. New suspension (all new bushes, swaybars, strut braces, coilovers etc). New gearbox, driveshafts, diff, and a complete engine overhaul with a few bits and pieces for performance to go with in.

Before I could run it in and get it tuned, I had to leave Australia. The plan was to go for about 1 year, so I stored the car with a trusted friend.
Of course, 1 year turned out to be 5 years, and here I am planning on my return towards the end of the year.

And I am faced with a choice, get this car up and going again (needs engineers cert, wheels/tires, e-manage + tune, and a few other things, so a good $3,500+) and use it for track fun (not a daily).
Or, part it out (never having enjoyed/experienced/driven what those many thousands of $$$ went on).

The things that bother me:
These cars are driven by kids these days as a temporary car, before they are legally allowed to drive turbo.
I will be 29 by the end of the year, and a Lancer... I don't know...

Basically there will no longer be that sense of pride of the car, but of course there will be love for it, and I know it will be immensely fun to drive.

What do people think? Part it out and get what I can for it, put the money towards something like an S15/TT Supra, or finish off my first car ever? And why?

[BUZZ_QWERTY]

Part it out dude, not worth the hassle I reckon. Buy a newer lancer Ralliart FTW

[Bennoz]

Not worth the hassle parting it our either, Lancers & FTOs are all driven by P platers that can't afford their next tank of gas, let alone go buying coilovers & other go fast bits. Plus the time it takes to part out something like that, it took me almost 8 months to get rid of a car I bought for parts & I still have half of it at home. Half of it I couldn't even give away!

My recommendation would be to strip the guts of it & make it a track pig. Would frighten sh*t of out most cars in its class.

Then go buy yourself something decent for the street, not an S15 or a Supra, the market is so saturated with scene wankers in JDM cars here at the moment it makes me sick.

[Astron_Boy]

You have a Merc, why aren't you driving that?

[Bennoz]

You have a Merc, why aren't you boosting that?

EFA

Actually, the more I think about it, the cooler I reckon that'd be!

[Astron_Boy]

Been done.
Not easy, but been done.

More inclined to get a K model and up the boost on that!

[aza013]

Pics, I want pics .
What would you want for it?

[Lawso]

Pics, I want pics .
What would you want for it?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
cue aza, our co-ordinator who will never grow up

[spetz]

So, the general concensus is to not bother getting up and running?
What is the reason behind this, the cost, or the fact that it's just a Lancer?

In the case of not keeping it, is parting it out seems to be the only viable way of selling it.
Even if I put fairly cheap 2nd hand wheels etc, I would still need to spend at least $2,500 to get it registered etc and ready to sell, which is too much of an investment for what may not sell

[aza013]

What would you be asking as is?
Also where is the car located?

[spetz]

To be honest I don't know how much I would ask for it, but I think more than anyone would be willing to spend. The parts bill in it is pretty huge and everything is new.
I would see what people would offer and if it was an offer I could refuse I would take it, but obviously this doesn't seem likely to happen.
Car is located in Canberra.

[Kustom]

tbh either get it up and going and sell it. dunno how much you'd get. But depends what u feel like doing. Since you've mentioned a TT Supra or S15 so looks like you want to be boosted. Which in the case you get it up & going and drive it around you're gonna wish you had one anyway so... may aswell get it up and going ... put it up for sale, drive it around till it sells, then buy a s15, TT supra or whatever you wish?

Goodluck !

[phunkydude]

But in another 2-3years, he'll turn 40.
and he'll be asking himself the same question again'

[spetz]

2-3 years?

Edit:
Also it's not that I want something boosted, or RWD etc, it's mostly because I would want something with more "street cred" I guess.
For example I'd be happy with a DC5R, which is still an NA FWD car.

[Nacho]

I'd be happy with a DC5R, which is still an NA FWD car.

That is blasphemy!

That's our direct competition

[sublime19]

Rather than competition, look at them as an inferior level of enthusiasts.

AAAWWWWWWW SHIIIIIIIIIT VTEC YO!!!!! YOOOOOOOOOO

[silverGPX]

What about a galant vr4?

[silverGPX]

Or a chaser?

[Nacho]

If you want street cred....you can buy a VL

It's got a very specific street cred.......hopefully not what you want

[BI65ND]

Who cares what other people think of it... take the kit off, get it back to looking reasonably stock, and run it as a sleeper that would smoke a lot of turbo cars. Then take it to the track so you can really enjoy it.

A few years ago when my CG got written off I went through a similar thing to you where I wanted a more "grown up" car. I had a V6 Bora 4mo first and then a gti golf, but went back to a mirage. Unless you're earning millions there's only so much you can do with those cars, and when the modifying bug hits it's hard to get rid of lol. With the amount of NA silivias getting around driven by p platers they're losing a lot of their credibility anyway.

Besides, realistically you'll probably get about $8000 for the car these days if you sell it. Is it really worth selling for that much money to you? If it was me, I'd keep it and drive it, but if you want a nicer car just buy something stock for a daily. Wouldn't you drive the Merc as a daily anyway?